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Highly regional stuff. I’m a 71yo American who has lived most of my life in suburban NY, Philadelphia, Chicago, LA, and Salt Lake City, and I count eleven of your terms here that I’ve never before heard in my life. “Larruping” sounds like a cross between “lariat” and “stirrup” — probably invented by horsemen.
Here’s a fun idea for a video: how many dozen varieties of “a few __ short of a ___” can you find? (i.e. somebody’s not all there). “A few tacos short of a combo plate.” “A few cards short of a deck.” …
One chop short of a mixed grill
One brick shy of a full load
Thanks for a great video – it was a hoot!
I’ve heard or jokingly used some variation of 13 of these, in Indiana. Some we probably learned from tv. “Muckety-muck” is how my mother said muckamuck. “Lord willing and the creek don’t rise” is a phrase I’ve heard.
Yes, “high muckety-muck” in Kentucky, as well.
I grew up in Memphis, TN hearing catywampus, all get out, larrupin’, high-falutin’, I swanee and others – so many of these words extend far beyond the places you said they’re from. (Also there’s no “g” on the end of larrupin’)
I’ve heard (and used) most of these before, probably due to TV & movies, so they’re not that obscure or regional. But there are a few great new ones.
BTW, “piddling” is also used as an adjective to indicate something disappointingly small. “Yeah, I got my first piddling paycheck at that new job.”
I was born in Oregon and lived in the Seattle area as a kid. I have lived in the Pacific Northwest all my life, and honestly I’ve never heard ANYONE ever use the term ‘high muckamuck’. That doesn’t mean I’m not going to use it from now on though!
Cheers from Portland.
My grandfather used to say ‘dadgumit’, I assume he picked it up from his relatives in Missouri. As a kid, he would stay with them over the summer and work on the family farm.
A Southern term, “fiddly” or perhaps “fiddley,” is used as an adjective to augment worthlessness. Example: That lazy bum is not worth a fiddly sh**.”
Listen to some “Bert & I” recordings. Classic “Down East” Maine accent.
I use a shocking amount of the British equivalents.
Thanks Olly! My favorites: cattywampus, that dog don’t hunt, Whoopensocker. From the words that are not there and I even don’t know if it’s specifically American, but I like “discombobulating” or “-ed”.
Also thingamajig
Very interesting 😊 great video!
I am from Oregon. I am more familiar with pronouncing “Muckamuck” as “Mucky-Muck”. Some others I hadn’t heard, but there were a lot that I knew and even a number that I have used regularly.
Another British saying “All fur coat and no trousers”
So, I was born in DC, grew up in Northern Virginia, have lived in Maryland for the past 31 years, and I have never once heard of “Siced” until now.
Great video and thanks again! A little comment about the Alabama phrase “raising Cain”. Joe Cain was the gentleman who helped reinstate Mardi Gras in Mobile, AL after the war in the 1870s. The annual drunken parade to his burial place in Church Street Grave Yard was (and is) known as the Joe Cain Procession. Thus “raising Cain”. Also, our grandmother used the term “I Swanee” as a curse substitute all of her life. None of us actually understood what it meant only that it must have been an end run around the Biblical prohibition against swearing. Cheers!
When they asked what you get when you mix snow and dirt together, my first thought was… Arkansas.
17:35 – Equivalent to “Gully Washer” & “Frog Strangler” is TOAD CHOKER.